By : Franyi Sarmiento, Ph.D., Inspenet, June 15, 2022
The Ministry of Health (Minsa) of Panama confirmed that since this week all the regions of the country have the antiviral Molnupiravir to reduce the impacts of Covid-19.
According to a report from that portfolio, some 15,000 treatments with the drug developed by the pharmaceutical company MSD (United States and Canada) arrived in the country.
The head of the National Warehouse of Sanitary Supplies of the Minsa, Dalís Barría, told the press that the drug will benefit patients over 18 years of age admitted to hospitals.
A treatment bottle contains 40 capsules, which will be given orally for the first five days of illness, he said.
With this treatment, the health authorities hope to reduce hospitalizations and complications from the disease, which is already entering its fifth wave, as well as reduce the duration of the patient’s symptoms.
Next week the country is expected to receive another antiviral, Paxlovid, which must also be administered orally, the Minsa added.
Panama thus becomes one of the first countries in the region to have access to these drugs, commented the Minister of Health, Luis Francisco Sucre.
Molnupiravir and Paxlovid will also contribute to reducing the effects of the pandemic in patients with chronic diseases, which is why in March the Panamanian government authorized the emergency use of these antivirals.
This material from the PrensaLatina Portal was edited for clarity, style and length.
Photo : Mike Mareen / Shutterstock.com
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